Echoes of dreams
by mythril dust
Summary: Syaoran is living a happy life in Tomoeda. However, one day, he finds himself in a different reality, in the body of his grownup self, without any idea how he got there or how to return to his normal life. S
1. Awakening

A/N: This is my second story. I don't plan on making it very long, but it's my first attempt at a multi-chapter fanfic. I don't exactly consider it a sequel to 'An Evening to Remeber', but it has some minor references to it. I hope you'll enjoy this.

**Disclaimer: **CLAMP owns Cardcaptor Sakura and its characters. I don't, unfortunatelty. Othewise you could expect more episodes from this wonderful series:)

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Awakening**

It was your average Sunday morning in Tomoeda city. It was still early, so you couldn't find many people up and walking. A veil of peace enveloped the place. The occasional singing of the birds added even more to the serene atmosphere. No matter where you looked, nothing out of the ordinary was happening. There was just the soft breeze, the glistening dewdrops, the lone dog taking a walk, the sound of clashing swords…… Ok, so maybe that last one seemed a bit out of place. If someone looked deeper in the woods of King Penguin Park, he would see two teens sparring on a small clearing, deeply focused on their activity.

A young girl, holding a thin blade, dashed forward with great speed and assaulted her opponent with a swift thrust of her weapon. With a calculated move, he parried the attack and pushed the attacking blade sideways, in an attempt to make the girl loose her balance. But she was agile and quickly turned around, this time trying an upwards slash, followed by a horizontal one. Both were expertly deflected, but she hadn't given up, and with a lightning- quick sidestep to the left, she attacked from a different angle, trying to penetrate her adversary's defenses. His response was quick and with a loud noise the swords met again. But this time he was forced to step backwards and regain his balance.

- Nice move! You're getting the hang of it. – The young boy complimented his sparring partner, with a satisfied smirk. His expression turned serious again – But you must never forget taking defensive actions, either.

With that said he lunged forward and launched a sequence of three slashes, each coming from a different direction, pushing the young girl backwards, as she tried to withstand their power. She realized she wouldn't hold on if she just blocked them raising her sword in front of her, so when the next series of attacks came, she alternately parried one and dodged the other, demonstrating amazing flexibility and footwork. In a sudden move, she jumped high and flipped mid-air, bringing down her blade on the surprised opponent. But once more steel echoed against steel, as he fiercely blocked the strike and pushed the girl away. She managed to recover from the impact and landed on her feet, panting.

- You almost got me this time. Great going, Sakura! – The boy smiled happily, pride glowing in his eyes.

- Thanks, Syaoran-kun. But it looks like I wasn't quite there yet. – The girl replied.

- Nonsense. You're doing wonderfully!

Syaoran was sincerely pleased with her. She had shown amazing improvement even since he started teaching her swordsmanship. What she lacked in physical strength she had in speed and agility. Although she was very inexperienced, her movements flowed so well she seemed like she was dancing and fighting at the same time. It was a beautiful sight to watch.

- I think that's enough. You made enough progress today – he concluded.

- Hai! – She chirped happily, satisfied with his approval.

Humming, she approached a tree trunk where her belongings lie and drank copiously from a bottle of fresh water. Feeling refreshed, she turned back to the boy, who was still looking at her with a gentle smile on his face.

- There's nothing like a good morning exercise, ne?

He chuckled. Sakura was most definitely not a morning person, yet here she was, on a Sunday at that, sparring with him. It had all started some weeks ago, when in a middle of a conversation he casually told her she should learn some martial arts, so she could still protect herself when there was no time to use magic or when she couldn't use it due to witnesses. Apparently that got stuck in her mind and sometime later she asked him to teach her. Of course he agreed, and from then on he gave her lessons when there was the opportunity. Her progress in hand-to-hand combat was going a bit slower, but there was no doubt that she had talent with a sword. It reminded him of the play back in fifth grade, where she played the prince in _Sleeping Beauty._ Even if it was a mock fight, she moved with such grace that it was impossible not to be admired.

It was obvious these lessons had really started to grow on her. Otherwise she wouldn't be able to get up so early and meet him when there weren't many people around yet. Syaoran had insisted in using the early morning for her practice, as he had no interest in having somebody surprising them in the middle of their lessons. It would raise too much suspicion around them. For that reason, that clearing deep in the park was a gift from heaven.

They headed home, hand in hand, enjoying the gentle wind that blew. It was autumn, so it was a bit chilly, but it felt good after the exercise. No one spoke, but they were perfectly content with just being beside each other. Too soon they reached the point where they had to part ways.

- We're here. See you later, Syao-chan.

- See you later, Sakura-chan.

Their eyes were locked for a moment, and soon their lips followed them, joining in a warm and tender kiss. They were vaguely aware of their less than pleasant smell and salty flavor of their mouths, but neither cared. All it mattered was showing the love they felt for each other and indulge in the blissful sensations of being so close to their dear one.

When it ended, their cheeks were a rosy tone and a satisfied smile adorned their faces. Each headed their own path, but they couldn't resist looking back, catching a glimpse of one another and exchanging small smiles and warm looks until they were out of sight.

Syaoran was in a very good mood, which was not uncommon lately. His life was good: he had an amazing girlfriend he loved dearly, he liked the city where he lived and he had friends he could count on. Life couldn't get much better than this. Of course that he would gladly appreciate if Touya stopped being such a pain in the rear, but then again what was life without a little spice?

He was looking forward to getting home, taking a warm shower, resting a bit and daydreaming about his precious cherry blossom. He was a bit tired from the lessons and also from dismantling the microcamera network that Tomoyo had secretly installed in his apartment in order to get good shots of Sakura.

Tomoyo Daidouji was definitely something else. He was mad when he first found out what she had done. Especially since she had recorded private moments between him and his girlfriend and showed them to the 'four-eyed-freak-menace' a.k.a Eriol Hiragizawa. But he eventually forgave her, as long as she promised that all the recorded data stayed with him and him alone. Besides, he both admired her and understood her. For a long time, he had had a hard time comprehending what were Tomoyo's feelings towards Sakura. She was genuinely happy that her loved one had found happiness, even if it wasn't with her. She felt no jealousy and no sadness. She was truly ecstatic just to be able to film the two of them and watch their love blossom. That earned her his utmost respect. Maybe she had learned the meaning of unconditional love. Still, he wished she'd find someone she'd love and who would love her back, just as he and Sakura had found each other. Although he didn't like the idea that much, maybe Eriol could be the one to play that role in the future.

Upon entering his apartment, he noticed the flashing light of his answering machine. Someone had called him this early? He wondered who it could be. He pressed the play button and soon a loud voice thundered throughout the place.

- CHINESE GAKI! I know you're there! Answer Me! Sakura's there with you, isn't she? What are you making her do with you this early in the morning?! If I find out there's something that I don't approve going on, the consequences will be dire! DO YOU HEAR ME!? Don't forget this! – And with that last comment the message ended.

After the ringing in his ears stopped, he deleted the message and went further inside like nothing had happened. After all, he was getting used to it. For some unfortunate reason Touya had gotten hold of his number and, whenever he suspected Sakura was in there with him (and he was mysteriously accurate), he made some kind of threatening call. "_He must be losing his touch, though"_ Syaoran thought. "_He didn't realize we hadn't set foot inside the house today_".

Dispelling any more thoughts about that overprotective brother, he relaxed under a warm shower and after that sat down on his couch, lazily letting minutes pass by. He didn't rest long, as his cell phone melody brought him back to reality. Picking it up, he saw the word 'Sakura' flashing on the screen. He answered it with a big smile.

- Moshi moshi. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call, Sakura-sama?

On the other side he heard a giggle.

- Mou, stop with the formal speech. It really doesn't fit you.

He felt like continuing his little game for a while longer.

- My deepest apologies, esteemed princess. Should I have predicted my conduct and speech distressed thee, I would have never considered uttering a sound.

Sakura was now laughing soundly. Syaoran felt a bit like a clown, but he didn't mind, as long as he could hear her joyful laughter.

- If you... «laugh»... keep that up, you're going to begin to sound like Eriol-kun.

That comparison was enough to make him shut up.

- Anyway, I just called to ask you if you know what day it is today.

Syaoran mentally went through the list of dates that a boyfriend must know by heart unless he wished to bring about his girlfriend's displeasure: birthdays, important promises, etc… When he couldn't find anything, he answered a bit hesitant.

- I don't recall anything special about today. Is there anything I should know about?

- Nope. I really didn't expect you to know. I was just making sure. – She didn't seem unhappy at all with his answer. He was relieved, but also curious.

- What is it, tell me. – He insisted.

- It's nothing, really. You don't have to worry.

Realizing he wasn't going to get anything more out of her, he changed the subject.

- So what else did you want to tell me?

- I was wondering if you're staying home today. I intend to drop by later.

- Feel free to do so. You know you're always welcome. But your brother's home, isn't he? Try to be a little discrete. I already got a call from him today.

- Again?! – Was the surprised reply – That onii-chan! I don't know what to do with him. I thought he'd have learned some matters from Yukito-san by now.

- You know the saying: "You can't make an old dog learn new tricks".

- That's not a very nice thing to say – she reprehended – even if it is rather true. – She added playfully – But it will be alright. He can't order me around! I'll see you later. Love you.

- I love you too – he answered, before ending the call.

"_Today seems promising"_ the young boy thought. "_Now I just have to kill some time before she gets here. Sleeping a bit won't hurt."_ With that, he closed his eyes and let his mind drift off.

He had a strange dream. He found himself on a vast green plain. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky and the Sun shined brightly. He looked around but there was nobody in sight. Suddenly, out of nowhere appeared a circular field of flowers. They came in all shapes and sizes, with more colors that he imagined possible. In the middle he found Sakura wearing a white summer dress and pink ribbons that held her hair in the usual pigtails. She was looking straight at him with a calm, gentle smile. Not her usual 1000 Watt smile, but rather one the symbolized tranquility and harmony. Her eyes had a tender expression to them, but there was also a hint of worry. She approached him in light steps. A breeze began to blow, making her dress and hair undulate so ethereally than she didn't seem like a being from this world. Before he could speak she was within an arm's reach from him. While keeping the same tranquil demeanor, she raised her hand and gently placed it against him, in front of his heart. With a tone of voice he had never heard from her before, she whispered:

- Don't forget… No matter what, don't forget… You're Syaoran, my dearest one. Wherever, whenever… you are you.

She then leaned forward and kissed his forehead, disappearing with a gust of feathers. Before he knew it, he was in a garden. At first glance it looked like the Daidouji's. However, high above his head there were all kinds of animals flying. Giraffes, dogs, cats… He wondered if Naoko Yanagisawa had somehow gotten hold of The Create and summoned such a crowd. A soft voice behind him called his attention. It was Tomoyo singing her latest song. After a while she paused and spoke directly to him.

- Isn't this world full of wonders? Magic has shown me marvels beyond belief. Experiences I only dared dream of. Isn't it the same for you? – After an enigmatic pause she continued – Even if I don't have magic powers, their very existence in this world defines a part of me. What about you? What makes you soul vibrate with elation? How do you feel in harmony with yourself? I believe it's important to never forget these answers.

The scenery started to fade and soon enough Tokyo at night replaced it. He found himself on top of Tokyo tower, with Kerberos and Yue hovering above. They just stood there, silent, looking intently at him, as if expecting something to happen. Then, this vision too started to vanish and Syaoran felt himself awakening. It was not a very pleasant feeling, as he felt a dizzy for some moments. When it subsided, he opened his eyes slowly and blinked a couple of times, adjusting them to the light that flooded the room. During his sleep he had moved and now he was half-laying on his couch, in a rather odd and uncomfortable position. When he straightened himself up his back cried in protest against its mistreatment. Shaking off the rest of his sleepiness, he looked around.

His eyes widened in surprise. He didn't recognize the room he was in. Although the couch was the same, it was most certainly not his living room. There was an open sliding door that led to the outside and he could take a glimpse of a little garden. There were two other doors, but they were closed. Inside the room there was a TV, a DVD player, a Hi-fi, some furniture with assorted objects. Overall it provided a homey, cozy feeling. But it was still not his house and that unsettled him.

He stood up and felt there was something else that didn't seem to fit in. For some moments he looked around trying to find what it was. Finding nothing, he took a step forward and felt it again. He was moving differently. He took two more steps and looked at a mirror nearby. His breath got caught in his throat when he saw his reflection. He was taller, broader and his face looked nothing like a 14 years' old. He closed his eyes and shook his head but the image remained. He now looked like a young adult, reaching twenty.

He had a hard time regaining his breath, such was his shock. He couldn't figure out what on Earth had happened. His mind was in turmoil, trying to process it all. He sat down again, fearing that he might fall down, such was his confusion. He closed his eyes and breathed in and out, slowly, like Wei had taught him. After a couple of minutes that felt like forever he was calmer and more composed. Standing up, he began to ponder carefully about his situation. He was not a skeptic young man, oblivious to anything supernatural. In his life he had seem many strange phenomena and this was probably just another one. He had no clue what it was, but with some careful exploration and deliberation he would get his answers.

A sound of steps, from the next room, drew his attention. They were getting closer. Someone was heading into that room. His muscles tensed and he readied himself for anything. Anything except what he saw.

The door opened to reveal the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Auburn shoulderlenght hair glistened against the sun rays that flooded the room, bright emerald eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, cherry pink lips smiled softly and a cute petite nose inspired some imaginary fragrance that lingered in that room. She was tall and elegant, adorned with generous curves. But besides all her physical beauty, she had an aura that radiated happiness and well-being, as well as a perfect sense of harmony with her surroundings.

Syaoran was glued to the spot, unable to move or speak. That person's splendor could even make his girlfriend's pale in comparison.

The woman looked surprised for a second when she looked at him. But her smile quickly returned, as she slight tilted her head leftwards and spoke to him:

- Oh, are you awake already? Looks like it wasn't long ago, though – She giggled softly, looking at his face. He was quite sure that his expression right now was something quite out of the ordinary – Come with me when you're freshen up, Syao-chan.

Then realization hit him like a ton of bricks. She was Sakura. The pink aura, the looks, the expression… there was no mistake about it. But she wasn't the young teen he knew. Before him was a more mature and stunningly gorgeous woman.

But she didn't seem one bit surprised. Turning around, she exited the room humming some random tune, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Syaoran, who once again had lost his ability to think clearly, was rooted to the ground with a glazed look on his face. In the midst of his jumble of incoherent thoughts, he could only remember a quote from a foreign movie he'd once seen.

"_- Toto, looks like we're not in Kansas anymore._"


	2. New Living

**Chapter 2 – New Living**

"_It's still morning_", Syaoran thought, as he looked outside. The small garden he'd seen from inside was actually just a part of a yard that went all around the house. The place itself was a one-story house, very similar to Yukito's. In fact, if he was not mistaken, he was still in Tomoeda and probably very near to the snow rabbit's place. He couldn't be sure, as his view of the neighborhood was very limited. Still, some part of him knew he wasn't mistaken. After all, he had developed strong bonds with the town, to the point where he felt he belonged there.

The same didn't apply to anything else, though. Actually, his geographical location was the only thing he was sure of. The rest was just one big incognita. He had pinched himself several times, to make sure he wasn't still asleep. His sore arm spoke for itself.

Some minutes had passed since the grown-up Sakura had left the living room. Following her immediately hadn't seemed the best idea, given his current state. Instead, he had left the room to get some much needed fresh air. Now that he felt better, he started to think how he should approach her. Unlike him, she didn't look confused or lost at all. In fact, her good mood and relaxed mind-set only worried him even more, since it pointed to the fact that their circumstances might be completely different. In the end, he decided he should choose his words carefully and try to understand her point of view on the events, without spilling his batch of concerns.

As soon as he set foot inside, she reentered the room and flashed him a big smile.

- Are you back on Earth now? – she inquired in a soft tone, like she was talking to a little kid that had drowsily woken up.

Syaoran took some time to formulate an answer. The sight of her was enough to blow away his feeble train of thoughts.

- Oh, ano…. I-I… I guess I'm not myself yet – he paused, unsure of what else to say – I just had the strangest dream, so I'm feeling a little out of it.

Her expression turned to one of understanding, with a hint of admonition.

- I told you it was a bad idea to take a nap right after eating all that chocolate cake. You should have taken my word for it. After all, I've got much experience in dealing with Kero-chan. He might be the Guardian Beast of the Seal, but eating that many sweets has its toll even on the greatest of creatures. You can't imagine the messes he caused whenever he got an upset stomach!

Actually, he could imagine. He remembered one time Kero had flown into Sakura's room, complaining about his stomach. She had left the house for some minutes to run a quick errand, so it was only him and the plushy… He never imagined something so small could puke so much. After he was done (and after much pleading from the annoying furball), the two of them managed to clean up the whole gooey before Sakura arrived and kept it a secret from her.

He was about to tell her that when he became aware of an important detail he'd nearly missed.

- Chocolate cake?! When did I eat that!?

He didn't know what she was talking about. One minute he was in his house, with his body, resting on his living room and the next thing he knew was there, completely at a loss. The last thing on his mind was eating, even if it was chocolate cake.

On the other hand, Sakura was quite sure of what she'd said. So it was with a raised eyebrow and a puzzled expression that she replied:

- You ate it just a couple of hours ago. Don't tell me you don't remember.

"_This weirdness has increased to a whole new level_". Syaoran tried to analyze all the bits of information he had at the moment. He looked older and hadn't the slightest clue about how the change happened. He was also unaware of what events took place between him falling asleep and waking up. It was obvious that wasn't the case with Sakura. The question was: what and how much did she know? There was only one way to find out.

- I don't really recall it right now, wWhich is a crime taking in consideration it is one of my favorite snacks – he tried to apply a joking tone of voice and make it look like a little game – Is there anything else that important that I forgot about yesterday?

She took the bait and replied slyly.

- Let's see… You got in a fight with Kero-chan. Then you had a death glare match with oni-chan when he came over and later on you shut the door on Eriol's face when he showed up at our front door… It was your typical uneventful day.

That was all he needed to hear to elaborate his first conjecture. Unlike what he first though, she wasn't his Sakura, the one with whom he had spent so much time together. Although he wasn't sure what the true identity of that reality was, it was obvious he was not part of it. On the other hand, the woman standing in front of him belonged there, since she had the memories to prove it.

"_So where do I fit in? How does she know me?_" After some quick deliberation, he decided to settle with the first two ideas that seemed plausible: one, he was in the middle of a complex and extraordinarily realistic illusion and everything he saw had been artificially created ; or second, his consciousness was transported across parallel realities and embodied this alternate world's Syaoran.

Deep inside, he realized his theories had more holes that a Swiss cheese, but he desperately needed a starting point to continue his investigations.

- Syaoran-kun, daijoubu? – Sakura's worried voice interrupted his thoughts – You look spaced out.

- I'm fine, thank you. I was just deep in thought, that's all.

The first matter at hand was how to deal with Sakura. He couldn't tell her about being 14 and suddenly waking up in a different reality. He feared what her reaction would be. Despite not being the girl he knew, he didn't want to do anything to upset her. He simply had to try to integrate in the life he led here until he could find a way to return. It would also help if he could come up with some excuse for his lack of memories. No matter how hard he tried, he was sure it was only of a matter of time before he did something inappropriate that would raise questions. So he flashed her the best smile he could, trying to reassure her.

She returned the look and relaxed. That instant a timer went off, alerting Sakura about an unfinished task in the kitchen. With a quick 'be right back' she bolted out of the room, much to Syaoran's relief. After all, he had a lot of solo exploring to do. He had to find out as much as possible about him, her and what the situation between them was.

He started with the shelves on the closest piece of furniture. There were a reasonable number of pictures, which was a good start. In the first he saw Sakura holding a parasol in front of a white mansion in the countryside, which he recognized it as belonging to Sakura's great-grandfather. The second was a picture from their cardcaptor days. Him, in his traditional robes, next to a smiling Sakura, dressed in one of Tomoyo's costumes, which a hyperactive Kerberos making a V-sign with his paws and the always solemn Yue standing quietly behind them. The third picture featured the same group, plus Tomoyo and Meiling. He and Sakura were holding hands, a blush evident on their faces. On her free hand she held the Hope card.

Syaoran smiled at the memories they brought back. Looking at some other pictures he spotted one from their first date and one of their first kiss, which had been secretly taken by Tomoyo. It looked like their past was just as he remembered it.

That gave him another idea: maybe he hadn't crossed over to a parallel world after all, but simply travelled into the future, taking over the body of his adult version. In a way, that was reassuring, because it meant he hadn't been cast off to an unknown universe. Time-travelling, although it was a difficult magic to master, was not completely impossible, with the adequate settings and tools. The Return Card and the sacred cherry tree were a good example.

Os course it also had its disadvantages. Seeing one's future can be a dangerous thing. Too much knowledge of the times to come might change dramatically the chain of events of one individual. It could also, in the worst-case scenario, cause a distortion in the fabric of space and time with unpredictable consequences. For those reasons, diviners and fortune-tellers had to be cautious when using their powers. But overall, he was better off lost in time rather than in dimensions.

Feeling more confident, he took a quick look to the rest of the pictures in the room. They had been taken after his timeplane and depictured several scenes from their life, like dates, vacations and high school graduation. One of them, however, made him freeze of the spot. It was a wedding picture. He saw himself, with a black tuxedo, standing with the one of the biggest smiles he had ever seen. Beside him was his bride, looking ever so dazzling, with a long white wedding dress. She looked like she had been given all the happiness in the world. Although it was just a picture, he could tell how special that day had been for them.

He felt a pair of arms enveloping his torso from behind and a face resting against his shoulder.

- I adore that picture. I believe it was the best shot Tomoyo ever got of me – Sakura's soft voice reminded him to breathe again – It reminds me how lucky I am to have you as my companion.

- Un... – was the best response he could utter.

She changed her position and they were now embracing each other, face to face. He was unable to divert his eyes from her lustrous pools of emerald. The tension he'd been building up ever since he woke up melted away and his worries seemed to vanish. In that moment all his attention was focused on the heavenly being he was holding so close.

- I'll be by your side forever. You're my number one, Syaoran-kun.

She lifted her chin and kissed him oh so lovingly. Time stood still for a moment, as the two lovers lost themselves in the kiss and the rush of warm shivers that took over their bodies. And then Syaoran realized it. Regardless of the setting he found himself in, the one he was kissing so preciously was none other than his true love. She was not an illusion or a parallel version of Sakura. She was the one and only that could touch the depths of his heart and soul and raise him above the heavens.

This kiss itself felt different. The ones they shared in his time had a hint and timidity and hesitation, just as you'd expect from young people exploring a whole new sea of feelings and sensations. Now, even though he still felt like his usual self, his partner was a much more experienced kisser. She didn't hold back and gave it her all. The shyness he was used to was replaced by a small flame of passion that blew his mind away and unleashed sensations a level above of all his previous experiences'. Despite that, the connection that existed between them hadn't changed. Their auras were meld together and resonated with each other with the same vibrations he was so familiar with. Their hearts beat as one and their magic flowed between them as if one was the extension of the other. That's how he knew it was his cherry blossom who was by his side.

When they stopped for air, Syaoran felt his legs rather wobbly. She, on the other hand, was livelier than before and after breathing in some air, she went for his lips again.

The moment was disrupted by an inopportune, annoyed voice.

- Sa-ku-ra... is lunch ready yet?

Kero was flying around the house with an empty stomach, looking for something edible. He wanted food, and he wanted it now! Reluctantly, the Clow mistress disengaged from her lover's arms and went to the kitchen, telling Kero to keep it down. Just before she disappeared from his sight she turned around and asked for Syaoran's help setting the table. He complied and followed her through a long hallway which had several windows on the left side. They entered a door at its very end, into a spacious room. It was organized very similarly to Fujitaka's kitchen. There was a table big enough for six people, a narrow and long worktable separating the eating from the cooking area, which was located at the opposite end of the room.

- Go get the bowls and the chopsticks while I get the rice cooker ready, will you? – Sakura asked.

The Li boy was in a rather tight spot. He had no clue where anything was, and looking around in every square inch of the place would be most unusual for someone who lived there. He had to trust his in intuition and luck. He headed for the cupboards, emptied his mind of any thoughts and opened the one in front of him. He got it right on the first try, what caused his inner self to yell 'success'. He picked up the pink bowl with drawings of cherries and the green one with a lone wolf under the moon. He didn't need to be a genius to figure out which belonged to whom.

Next he looked for the chopsticks. Drawers would be the most obvious place for them. He opened the first to find it full of pieces of cloth. He tried the one below it, but still couldn't find them. He looked towards Sakura, but she was too busy to notice his flukes. He continued opening drawers, to no avail. Eventually, she noticed his agitation and asked him what was wrong. Resigned, he mumbled:

- It's the chopsticks... I'm kinda...having a little trouble with them...

Realization dawned upon her.

- Oh, that's right! I just changed their place today. Silly me!

"_The goddess of fortune must be smiling upon me!"_ was his relieved thought.

Lunchtime went without incidents. The only downside was listening to a blabbermouth Kero talking about reaching 400 million points in some game. But Syaoran wasn't paying attention to what he said. He kept taking glances at the stunning woman sitting across him, while she giggled at Kero's exaggerated bursts of joy and self-congratulation. If too much beauty was a crime, then she would be the world's most wanted criminal. He was sure every male policeman would give everything to be the one to catch her.

After eating she excused herself, as she had promised to call Tomoyo. That was his cue to leave the room and take a good look around the place. He didn't want to be caught off guard again, so went from room to room opening every closet, commode and chest he could find, memorizing as many contents as he could. Unfortunately the house was big, with more rooms than he had anticipated. He had his good visual memory in his favour though, so in the end he had an acceptable rudimentary mental map of his surroundings. The last place he looked into was apparently an office. He noticed a computer, a fax, a telephone and a secretary in the centre of the room. There were two timetables pinned on some kind of notice board on the wall. One of them had Sakura's name written on it and the other one had his. After a quick look, he concluded they were both attending college. Next to them was a calendar. It was August. When he looked at the year he was a bit surprised. He was five years into the future, which meant he was currently nineteen and Sakura still eighteen.

"_We married young" _was his first thought. But in reality it wasn't something that unexpected, if he took into consideration that Sakura's mother had married when she was 16 and that his own family emphasised the clan's continuity, which meant assuring the clan's leader would be married and have children.

For some moments he wondered if this would be really their future. After all, what's to come depends on which path you choose at every single fork in your life. Nothing should be taken for granted, for a slight deviation in one particular moment of the present could propagate and originate an almost antagonic life to what one foresaw. Who knows what could have happened if the 10 year-old him had seen his older self, in a loving relationship with Sakura. Maybe he would have confessed too soon or become overconfident and mess up, never getting together with her in the end. Similarly, what he was experiencing right now could be one of the infinite alternatives his life had to offer. And a great one, it seemed.

- Syaoran-kun, could you come here? – His wife called from far away.

- Coming! – was his reply, as he headed back to the living room, where he felt her presence. He found her looking at a small list, which a sparkle of excitement in her eyes. When she saw him, she put it in her pocket, closed the distance between them and almost dragged him out of the room by the arm.

- Sakura?...

- We're going shopping! There's something I must get right now! – She was visibly enthusiastic – I'll use the chance to buy some groceries we need.

- And I suppose you need my manly muscles to help you carrying them – was his deduction.

He got a soundly 'Hai' in response. Since they had begun dating, it didn't take long before she discovered the wonders of having a boyfriend that helped carry the shopping bags. He was glad she wasn't a shopping maniac like some girls he knew. He saw the uneasy looks their boyfriends' faces whenever they mentioned it. He didn't have it that bad and he liked to hang out with his girl, even if it was going from store to store, but it was almost a ritual among man to complain about it, so he at least had to make some kind of condescending or sarcastic remark.

They walked out their front door with their arms linked. Sakura was smiling from ear to ear humming a happy tune, befitting of her mood. The man by her side was amused at the girl's antics and he too had a goofy grin plastered on his face.

The cheerful couple was greeted by their neighbour, who was on his yard, taking care of some flowers.

- Sakura-chan, Li-kun, konichiwa!

They looked at the silver haired young man who had called out to them.

- Yukito-san! Konichiwa! – was the energetic reply from the glowing teen.

Syaoran's reaction time was slower. There was no doubt they were facing Tsukishiro Yukito, the one and only false form of the Moon guardian, Yue. He had the same pale face and slim constitution, but he was noticeably older. Remembering his manners, he politely nodded his direction in a reserved greeting.

- Going out now? It's a wonderful day to be outside. Enjoy yourselves!

Saying their goodbyes, they continued on their way, towards the shopping district. Along the way, Syaoran kept analysing the streets and houses they passed by. Not much had changed in five years. Tomoeda was the same friendly town he had grown to like. All of its characteristic spots remained unchanged, from the cherry tree lane to King Penguin Park. From his perspective, that quiet Tokyo suburb had a timeflow of its own, distinct from the bustling rhythm of the great metropolis. Although there was much more activity in the shopping district, a relaxed atmosphere reigned. Families, lovers... All took their time enjoying the sunny day. If the whole world could be represented by that little welcoming place, then there wouldn't be absolutely any reason to worry about its future.

The two of them entered a small supermarket to purchase some supplies and then visited several other shops to buy some little extras. The young Li clan leader almost forgot he was in a rather unusual situation. Everything seemed perfectly natural, as if they were still 14, shopping together without a care in the world. However, one look at his companion and her grown up figure briefly reminded him that wasn't the case. But he wasn't particularly worried about that. After all, worrying never did any good and he was having a good time with her. He should simply trust that things would work out somehow. After all, she was with him.

On their way back, they came across some people that knew them. He had no clue who they were, so he let Sakura do the talking, while he took a more passive posture. They were a young couple, probably around the same age as them. Maybe they had been high school classmates. The conversation was brief so he couldn't aver it. Still, it was an interesting chat. Meeting people he knew was a strange experience, but speaking with people he didn't know yet like they were friends had its own uniqueness. His social skills were not top-notch and for a long time he had never made friends. It was since he started to interact with the whole cardcaptor crowd, especially the girl beside him, that his opening up to the world began. It was encouraging to know he had changed for the better, and although ultimately the merit was his alone, he was thankful to Sakura for being the catalyst.

Hey, Li. Are you with us? – The young man snapped him out of his reverie.

- Sure. Sorry.

Indirectly, he managed to get their names. The girl, a short and mild-mannered brunette was called Risa and her boyfriend, a broad tall guy with dark hair was Itsuki. They had their own schedule to follow, so soon enough they were on their way. Itsuki said goodbye to him with a vigorous pat on his shoulder.

- See ya, Li. Take good care of your sunflower.

And with that, each couple headed their way.

"_Sunflower?"_ Li didn't understand what he'd meant. All it took was a mere look at the girl holding on to his bag-free arm to understand. The summer dress she was wearing was a yellow one-piece that went down to her knees. She had a yellow ribbon tying it around her waist and her shoes were also of the same colour. Together with her auburn hair shining in the Sun and the glowing smile on her face, the resemblance to such a flower was evident. He kept looking at some more details of her clothing. It hadn't a pattern, but he could see a couple of embroided wings, possibly Tomoyo's touch. The strap that held it went around her neck and it also possessed some small drawings of wings. The neckline was low, good for the current hot weather and, from his angle of view, for providing some appetizing eye-candy of her pronounced womanly curves.

Syaoran blushed and looked away, feeling he was staring for much longer than was proper. With a small sigh, he forced himself to look forward. _"Time has been so generous on her..." _No matter how hard he tried to control it, his disobedient eyes kept stealing quick glances every once in a while...

When they reached the park, Sakura stopped and moved away from him.

- This is where we make the final and most important stop. Wait here, I'll be back in a jiffy. – Before he could formulate a reply she was already off, entering a small store on the other side of the street. He couldn't tell what kind of shop it was, but he was certain he had never seen it before. So some small things had changed in Tomoeda, after all.

A sudden strange sensation invaded him. Somewhere not very far, he could detect the distinct presence of some magical energy. It felt faint, but it could be a strong presence trying to dissimulate itself. Closing his eyes, he completely focused his energy in tracing it. His instincts told him it was moving in his direction, fast. When it got close, he opened his eyes but couldn't see a thing.

Combining his vision with his senses, he managed to pinpoint it. It should be hovering almost above him, around ten meters high. All he could perceive was an indistinct fluctuation of magical energy. It was something almost invisible. Still, its surface did not equally reflect light, so one could spot some blurry contours. He was certain it wasn't human, yet the presence had an oddly familiar feel to it. It didn't look hostile, but he couldn't tell what its purpose was. Without any warning, it started to float away, high into the sky. He followed it with his sight until it disappeared. After that he felt strangely tired, like had had a long day of work. Before he knew it, he passed out.

At first there was nothing but darkness. He was in an endless void, deprived of everything. After a while, he started hearing a voice. It was a girl's soft voice, calling out his name. He recognized it, but couldn't to whom it belonged. The call was quiet, but he could tell it was important. If only he could see something...

As if responding to his thoughts, a magic circle appeared beneath him. It was Sakura's. Numerous flowers started to emerge from it and before he knew it all the darkness had been cleared away and a green pasture was in its place. He knew where he was. It was the dream plane he had seen before coming to this new reality. He was standing where he had found his girlfriend wearing the white dress. But there was no sign of her this time. He waited for what felt like a long time, expecting her to appear at any moment. After an apparent eternity one object started to materialize in the middle of the circle. It was a Sakura Card. The front of the card was facing away from his, so he couldn't tell what it was. But he could feel a warm soothing energy emanating from it. He was aware he should know which card it was, but at the moment his mind was a blank. Once more he heard the same voice, louder this time, indicating it was much closer to him now.

- _Syaoran..._

He woke up startled. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. He was lying on the ground, in the park, with shopping bags next to him. It all came back to him at once. The presence, their standstill, and then him passing out. How long had he been out? One look at his watch told him about 10 minutes had passed. Ten short minutes, compared to the long time he had spent in that dream.

- I'm back! – a cheerful voice almost made him jump in surprise.

Sakura was returning with a small parcel in her hand.

- I didn't take long, did I? – she asked, with a _'I'm so cute you wouldn't dare say yes_' look.

- No, not really – he responded absentmindedly. She didn't look like she had sensed anything. Still, he wanted to make sure.

- Did you sense some kind of magical presence a while ago?

- No, nothing – she had been caught off guard by the question – Did something happen?

He briefly told her what he'd experienced, omitting the dream. She looked thoughtful for a minute.

- It could have been one of Eriol-kun's experiments. It's not the first time he accidentally let one out of the mansion. We'd better ask him tomorrow, just to make sure.

"_Great! The freak is still at it!"_ Syaoran tried to suppress a grumble of annoyance. Maybe he hadn't been clear enough when he forbade him from pulling out any more wacky stunts. They needed another man-to-man talk, one of the possibly many they must have had during these last five years.

His wife was probably used to this already, so she quickly added.

- We're just going to ask him, not make death-threats, okay?

- Hai – his lack of enthusiasm was a clear indicator that he preferred the second option.

- Come on, wipe that sulky expression out your face! If you lighten up, I'll give you a treat.

His ears perked up at her words and he looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.

Close your eyes – she cooed, like she was about to offer a sweet to a five-year old.

He complied and waited patiently. He felt her press something against his lips. It smelled like chocolate. The exterior texture felt like chocolate's. And he could tell it tasted like chocolate. Conclusion? It WAS chocolate! He quickly opened his mouth and devoured the little cube, enjoying its flavour.

It was delicious! Its outer layer was made of milk chocolate with almonds and the inside was a chocolate cream that that worthy of the Gods! For those briefs instants, he could understand how Kero could be so passionate about his pudding. That little gem was a true treasure for every chocolate appreciator on Earth.

But it wasn't over yet. Before he knew it, his lover's lips were on his, parting them with her tongue. She explored his mouth tenderly and he gladly responded, causing his body to be overrun by pleasant tremors. That kiss had the essence of his favourite sweet. After a bit of tongue massaging Sakura too tasted like chocolate, making the moment even more delectable. A combination of Sakura and chocolate... What more could a man want?

When they parted, Syaoran was in la-la land. That had been both unexpected and heavenly. Sakura licked her lips in satisfaction, commenting to herself:

- Your reaction was much better than predicted – Taking her finger to her mouth she added with a smile – And tastier, too.

He felt like a fish, opening and closing his mouth without uttering any sound. Another voice spoke for him.

- Mommy, that onii-san and onee-san were eating chocolate and kissing at the same time! - A little boy exclaimed in wonderment, as he tugged at his mother's sleeve.

Blood rushed to the couple's faces, turning them crimson with embarrassment. They were so engrossed in their little game they had forgotten they were outside, in a public space.

Lowering their heads, they hastily took their leave, while the mother tried to convince her child he hadn't seen well.

A couple of blocks away, the two lovers looked at each other and heartily laughed until their lungs complained. After sobering up, they held hands and made the rest of the way back home, in perfect contentment. Eriol could wait. Right now, it was their moment.


End file.
